Coulthard believes in Ricciardo: 'If he can do that he should get a chance'

Daniel Ricciardo may not have a permanent seat on the Formula 1 grid in 2023, but according to David Coulthard, the Australian has every chance of making a comeback next year.

Ricciardo hopes to return to the F1 grid in 2024 and sees a year as a third driver at Red Bull Racing as his best chance of achieving that goal. However, Coulthard believes everything will depend on his mentality. The 33-year-old Australian spent two difficult years at McLaren, where he continuously drove in the shadow of Lando Norris.

"Daniel, not being where we knew he could be - he just didn't look like Daniel of old so this is about him trying to rebuild," Coulthard said in conversation with BBC. "He has a great legacy with Red Bull and he left to go off and try and make it big elsewhere, that didn't work so he has come back to the family."

According to the Scot, Ricciardo's role as a third driver at Red Bull could help him recover. "If he can get his mind back to what is was when he was having success, then Daniel has to have an opportunity to come back. If this opportunity doesn't manifest itself then that's probably his grand prix career wrapped up," Coulthard said.